ANNAPOLIS – Daily flights from Cumberland Regional Airport to Baltimore/ Washington International Airport will not start today, as previously announced by the airline and the airports.
Boston-Maine Airways, the company providing the flights, is still “wrapping up” certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, said John Nadolny, airline senior vice president.
The delay is just part of the process, said Nadolny, adding that this is an expansion for the company, headquartered in Boston. This is the first time Boston-Maine will offer scheduled, rather than occasional, passenger flights.
“I don’t think Sept. 11 has had an impact,” he said. “We’re in the final steps here.”
Three 19-passenger flights are scheduled to leave every day from Cumberland Regional Airport and stop at Hagerstown Airport before landing at BWI. Hagerstown has not had flights to BWI since 1997.
The flights are a result of a two-year, $2.25 million contract approved by the Board of Public Works in June. The state subsidy is designed to stimulate jobs and business to help Western Maryland’s struggling economy.
“We have every reason to believe they are going to start in November,” said Hagerstown Airport Manager Carolyn Motz, adding she didn’t think Nov. 1 was ever a firm starting date for the flights.
A delay might further depress the number of people on the flights, said Cumberland airport Manager John Jennings.
“It does hurt the community. It takes a pretty good media blitz to get the airport back in the public’s mind.”
He also pointed out “there are a lot of people in the community who have been asking for the flights.”